Kahdi the Slow, an untried neophyte Sorceror

[Eric Minton]

“Fool! Clod! Imbecile! You had but to perform the ancillary incantation, a simple incantation, and now this! My laboratory in shambles, another experiment ruined! I am finished with you!”

“No, Master, please! I beg forgiveness! Give me one more chance!”

“You have had enough chances, boy. I have fed you, clothed you, trained you in the Art. And for what? Worthless boy. Be gone from my sight.”

“Please, Master! I will do anything! Do not send me from your door.”

“Anything, eh? Then I bid you this: fetch me the jewel called the Raven’s Heart from the temple of the goddess Chiel, upon the Street of Seven Gods in Zethuar.”

“Master, she is the Harvester of Lives! Her priests are trained assassins! They will gut me upon her altar and water her garden with my blood.”

“Then at least you will be good for something. Enough! I lay this geas upon you, boy: for each day in which you shirk your task, the Blue Imp of Nereth-Akhor shall trouble your dreams. Now go.”

-----

Concept: Lazy Mageling

Character Name: Kahdi the Slow

Lifepaths: Born Peasant, Lazy Stayabout, Lead to Outcast, Vagrant, Lead to City, Neophyte Sorcerer

Age: 26

Stats: Pe: 4 Wi: 4 Ag: 4 Sp: 3 Po: 3 Fo: 5

Attributes: Re: B3 Ste: B3 He: B4 MW: B10 Hesitation: 7 Presence: 4 paces

Circles: B2 Resources: B0

PTGS: Su: B3 Li: B6 Mi: B7 Se: B8 Tr: B9 Mo: B10

Skills: Lazy-Wise B3, Road-Wise B2, Read B3, Write B2, Research B2, Symbology B2, Sorcery B3, Hostel-Wise B2, Inconspicuous B3, Almanac B2, Begging B2, Sheep Husbandry B2

Gear: Clothing, Shoes, Traveling Gear

Spells: The Fear, Low Speech

Relationships: Tholos, Master Sorcerer (minor, hated); The Blue Imp of Nereth-Akhor (minor, hated)

Traits: A Little Fat, Extremely Respectful of One’s Betters, Gifted, Dreamer

Beliefs:
- The rewards of hard work are not worth the effort expended.
- Enjoy the moment, before someone comes to boss you around and ruin it.
- Someday, I will be a mighty sorcerer.

Instincts:
- I always eat and drink as soon as food and drink become available.
- I always try to be inconspicuous whenever anyone is shouting angrily.
- I always sleep holding my shoes, lest someone steal them on the road.

[luke]

wow. Flavor country.

Edit: That second Belief is cool, but I can see it being problematic in play. Any way you can refine it into a playable action/demeanor/guideline for the player?

-L

[Eric Minton]

wow. Flavor country.
Yeah, I saw the "Lazy Stayabout" path and I had to use it. Normally, I like to play competent characters; I thought it would be fun to build someone really incompetent. And in BW, not only is he playable, but he's capable of growing into someone you can take seriously. :D

Edit: That second Belief is cool, but I can see it being problematic in play. Any way you can refine it into a playable action/demeanor/guideline for the player?
How about, "Don't let my responsibilities get in the way of enjoying the moment"?

[jc_madden]

I like him! You referenced Zethuar too that's way cool. Did you want to play or were you just flexing your creative muscles? As it is we have Verrain, TheGreatJL, Mickeroo, and Tobias lined up to play as soon as I get the revision.


PS I hate you because you have it and I don't.

[Thor Olavsrud]

How about, "Don't let my responsibilities get in the way of enjoying the moment"?

Not bad at all. Here's the thing though: the beliefs you write for your character are a major opportunity to place your stamp on the complexion of the game. If he's playing by the spirit of the game, the GM HAS to take your Belief into consideration when creating situations for your character. So make it count!

I think it's just a matter of making this particular belief more specific. What sort of responsibilities does he have that would create an interesting situation if he failed to perform them?

[Eric Minton]

Beliefs and Instincts are hard. :wink:

How about, "Better to enjoy the moment and be late, than to focus on your task and be timely"?

[Thor Olavsrud]

Beliefs and Instincts are hard. :wink:

How about, "Better to enjoy the moment and be late, than to focus on your task and be timely"?

NO! Look, this Belief isn't BAD, but how are you putting your stamp on the campaign with it?

Master says I need to renew that Prison Circle up in his tower every night at moonrise, but sometimes having a good time is more important.

You've just created a major story element!

All these books master has me reading are just make-work; the books he keeps in that vault will make me a full-fledged sorcerer in no time!

And there's another.

My old master was a fool; the sleeping monks of Tara-Farr can show me the easy path to power.

You see how these Beliefs CREATE situation? These are your opportunity to get the GM to make your game sessions be about the stuff YOU want the game to be about.

[Eric Minton]

You see how these Beliefs CREATE situation? These are your opportunity to get the GM to make your game sessions be about the stuff YOU want the game to be about.
Ahh, I see now. Most of the Beliefs on the sample characters in the CB are pretty abstract, so I thought that was something to aim for -- Beliefs that would pop up in lots of situations. But the ones you just suggested are kick-ass.

How about:

"If I can bind the Blue Imp to my will, not only will it trouble my dreams no more, but I can turn it against my master and take his power for my own."

-or-

"The Lord of House Peshwar seeks a sorcerer to wed his daughter at the turning of the year; if I can win his approval - or her heart - a life of leisure awaits me."

[Thor Olavsrud]

"If I can bind the Blue Imp to my will, not only will it trouble my dreams no more, but I can turn it against my master and take his power for my own."

-or-

"The Lord of House Peshwar seeks a sorcerer to wed his daughter at the turning of the year; if I can win his approval - or her heart - a life of leisure awaits me."

Now you're talking! These can still be used in lots of situations. I try to make mine active:

I will use the Blue Imp to take my master's power for my own.

I will wed Lord Peshwar's daughter and win a life of leisure.

But that's just a stylistic thing. It's good to have one or two more abstract Beliefs and one that really gives the character impetus.

Also, remember that you can change a Belief at any time

[luke]

Specific Beliefs are cool, but it's hard to make them up in isolation. Were you to focus this character for a game, I don't care what Beliefs you write out here (when you're creating him). We've got to get BITs that point him into the story.

The story becomes an amalgam of all the players' characters' Beliefs, with a healthy dash of overarching conflict on top.

It's cool. It works.

Also, I think the sample character's BITs from the CB are quite specific. I'm paraphrasing here:

Keep and eye on my uncle. In other words, "Yo, GM! Start some trouble with my Uncle!"

Use my sister to climb the political ladder. In other words, "I my sister better be connected because I'm going to have lots of scenes with her!"

His last Belief, "I shall rule!" is simply a nice statement of purpose to create an umbrella for all his other behavior.

-L

[Thor Olavsrud]

Also, I think the sample character's BITs from the CB are quite specific.

Yeah. I just looked through 'em. Most of them are really strong, especially the dwarves and elves. Some of the men could have been a bit more pointed.

But Luke is definitely right about the Beliefs being difficult to write in isolation. Ideally, you would get together with your group and have an entire session for character creation. The first thing you'd do is talk about the world, the campaign, and the types of things you'd be interested in seeing and doing, and finally the types of characters you'd like to play.

After bouncing all those ideas back and forth among each other, you should know exactly which Beliefs will aim you at the story like a laser beam.

[Eric Minton]

Ah, I see. Thanks.

I think I've been in way too many crappy games recently, and it's given me too many bad habits. You know, the kind of games where saying "I want to keep an eye on my uncle" means that either A) the uncle will never appear, or B) the uncle gets gacked off-screen by some random goblin.

Creating characters in a group will only be an option when I have a group interested in playing BW. Until then, this is just experimentation with the system. (Unless I accept jc_madden's offer to join his online game, of course... but no, too many bad experiences with PbP. :? )

- Eric

[jc_madden]

Heh I totally understand. Well you've got an interesting character concept and I think he'd be a fun addition to the game. At least look at the posts once it gets going and see if it appeals to you. Eitherway good luck getting a BW game in your area and happy burning!